John Banister Gibson Roberts, Jr.

Chaplain, ColoneI John Bannister Gibson Roberts, Jr.

John (Jack) Roberts passed away Friday, April 11,2025. He was born in Charleroi, PA on January 1,1928. He graduated from Charleroi High Schoot. He attended Colgate University under the Navy V-5 Program and served three years as an Air Cadet and flying Midshipman.

After the Navy he attended Washington and Jefferson College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1950. He then attended Philadelphia Divinity School obtaining a Bachelor of Theology degree that was later upgraded to a Master of Divinity. He was ordained to the Deaconate in June of 1954 and as a Priest of the Episcopal Church in December 1954. As a Priest-in-charge, he served the Episcopal Church for five years before entering the Air Force as a Chaplain.

White in the Air Force, he had many assignments up and down the eastern seaboard from here in Florida, west to Louisiana and North to Niagara Falls. He also served overseas in Germany and England in Europe and a year in Pteiku, Vietnam.

Retiring from the Air Force in 1983, he became the Priest-in-charge for St. Anns, Wauchula, serving there for twenty-three years. At the same time, he became an Assisting Priest for The Church of the Good Shepherd.

He was married in June 1954 to Fay Boord who predeceased him. Survivors include children: John Roberts, Babson Park; William Roberts and wife, Linda, Tallahassee; Richard Roberts, Gainesville and Christy Sullivan and husband Robert, Lake Wales. Survivors also include five grandchildren Jitlian, Jeremy, Tristan, Leita, and Gibson; and great-granddaughter, AnneIise.

A visitation will be held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday, April 21, 2025 at Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Wales. Interment will follow at Lake Wates Cemetery.

ln lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his honor can be made to the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.